A Comparative Approach to Human Auditory Synaptopathy
Abstract
Exposure to noise can cause damage to structures in the inner ear, often resulting in a loss of hearing. Recent findings in noise-exposed animals raise a new specter that even moderate noise exposures may result in damage specifically located in the synaptic region between the sensory cells in the cochlea and primary auditory neurons. There is no way currently that scientists and clinicians can diagnose possible auditory synaptic damage in humans, and diagnosis is critical for the development of innovative treatments. The objective of this project is to develop a statistical model that will accurately predict the likelihood of synaptopathy in humans who have had noise exposures in their lives. The development of the statistical model will be supported by collecting non-invasive measurements in both humans and guinea pigs. Findings from the animal testing have identified several metrics that show promise for differentiating noise-exposed from control animals, including newly created analyses of evoked potential and otoacoustic emission testing. These metrics will be tested further with increasing animal data to determine if they are candidates for inclusion in the statistical model of synaptopathy underdevelopment. Successful metrics will subsequently be applied to the human data to predict synaptopathy.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2022
- Accession Number
- AD1194697
Entities
People
- Edward J. Walsh
- Majorie R Leek